Coupling assembly for underwater face mask

ABSTRACT

An improved coupling assembly is provided for releasably attaching an air hose, or the like, to a second stage regulator of the type used in conjunction with the face mask or mouthpiece of underwater diving equipment. The coupling is readily detachable, and a double valve mechanism is provided, so that when the air hose is decoupled from the regulator underwater, valves in both the regulator air inlet and in the end of the air hose are immediately biased to a closed condition.

0 United States Patent 11113,570,808

172] Inventor Jack Louis Wrenn [56] References Cited 2232 Via Corona, Montebello, Calif. 90640 UNITED STATES PATENTS P 8 1969 2,322,877 6/1943 Parker 251/149.6 f' m 16,197] 2,419,503 4/1947 Scheiwer 251/149.6X [451 Pdemed 2,503,495 4/1950 Koester 25 l/149.6 2,744,770 5/1956 Davidson et al. 251/149.6X 3,138,155 6/1964 Bould l37/614.05X 3,292,618 12/1966 Davis et a1. 128/1422 Primary ExaminerWilliam R. Cline Attorney-Jessup & Beecher [54] COUPLING ASSEMBLY FOR UNDERWATER FACE MASK ABSTRACT- An im d 1' bl 'd d f prove coup mg assem y 1s pr0v1 e or 2 Clams 6 Drawmg releasably attaching an air hose, or the like, to a second stage [52] US. Cl 251 149.6, regulator of the type used in conjunction with the face mask or 128/1 2 l37/614.05 mouthpiece of underwater diving equipment. The coupling is [5 1 Int. Cl A62b 7/04, readily detachable, and a double valve mechanism is provided,

F161 37/28 so that when the air hose is decoupled from the regulator un- [50] Field of Search 25 1/ 149.6; derwater, valves in both the regulator air inlet and in the end of the air hose are immediately biased to a closed condition.

PATENTED HARI6|97| 3,570,808

SHEET 1 0F 2 MM WAM 11a Irma/my COUPLING ASSEMBLY FOR UNDERWATER FACE MASK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The usual breathing apparatus associated with underwater diving equipment includes a second stage regulator which is coupled through an air line to the first stage regulator on the pressurized air tank carried by the diver and which is mounted on the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece is clenched in the teeth of the diver, and as the diver breathes through his mouth, air is drawn in through the regulators at the proper pressure. US. Pat. No. 3,292,618 provides a face mask for use in conjunction with underwater breathing apparatus, and which is intended to replace the prior art mouthpiece which is clenched in the divers teeth. In the latter instance the second stage regulator is mounted on the mask.

The face mask described in the patent defines an inlet passageway to which the inlet air hose is coupled, with a demand valve forming part of the second stage regulator being disposed in the passageway. The demand valve is controlled, so that each time the diver inhales, the valve automatically opens to open the inlet valve and permit air to flow into the face mask. Then, when the diver exhales, the valve is automatically closed.

The present invention provides an improved coupling assembly which is intended, for example, to couple the inlet air hose to the second stage regulator on the aforesaid mouthpiece or mask. As will be described the coupler of the invention may be constructed to have component integral with the regulator itself, or it may be separable so that the coupler of the invention may be fitted to any type of second stage regulator.

A feature of the improved coupling assembly of the present invention is that it permits the air hose to be readily decoupled from. the regulator. This is important in many applications, and especially in deep dives, where the diver must be brought to the surface very slowly. For example, in dives of the order of 150 feet, -3 hours are often required to bring the diver to the surface, in order to provide for gradual decompression of the diver. Since the supply of air in the tank carried by the diver lasts usually for around minutes, it has been the practice for deep dives to. drop the diver an air line from the surface down to provide him air while he is undergoing the decompression period.

When the coupling assembly of the present invention is used, it is a simple matter for the diver to decouple his tank air hose from the regulator, and to couple an airhose dropped from the surface to the regulator. The coupler is provided with an internal spring-loaded valve, so that when the air hose is decoupled, the valve immediately closes. This prevents air from escaping and prevents water from entering the air hose. Also, the demand valve in the part of the coupler remaining in the mask after the first part has been decoupled it also biased to a closed condition, so that wateris prevented from entering the regulator and mouthpiece or mask.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a top view, partly in section, of a face mask such as disclosed in the aforesaid patent, in which the second stage regulator has been modified to incorporate the improved coupling assembly of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the face mask and regulator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view, partly in section, of the portion of the coupling assembly of the invention which extends into the inlet-passageway of the aforesaid regulator of FIGS. 1 and 2, and which is clamped permanently into the inlet;

FIG. 4 shows a further portion of the coupling assembly which is attached to the air hose, and which may be detachably coupled to the portion of FIG. 3;

F50. 5 shows another type of prior art second stage regulator to which the air hose is attached by a usual threaded joint; and

FIG. 6 is a modified coupler embodying the invention and which may be interposed between the air hose and regulator of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT The face mask shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is designated 10, and it is formed of a waterproof material, such as rubber. The mask is configured to define a chamber Llwhich is positioned in ,front of the mouth of the diver, when the mask is positioned on the diver. It will be appreciated that the mask may be held: in place on the diver by any suitable means (not shown), such means being described in detail in the aforesaid patent.

The mask 10 includes an inner resilient wall portion I4 which extends over the chin of the wearer; and it also includes a thin resilient upper edge 16 which is configured to extend over the upper lip of the diver, and around his nose. The thin upper edge 16 is particularly adapted to extend under or over the lower edge of the goggles usually worn by the diver. The.

mask 10 also includes thin integral flexible sides 17. These sides are resilient, and they extend up the cheeks of the diver, and terminate at the region of the malar bone on each check. This configuration provides a waterproof termination for the mask on the bony structure of the cheek, rather than on the soft tissue. Therefore, and as described in the patent, as the diver talks, or otherwise moves his jaws, there is no tendency for the sides of the face mask to move outwardly or for leakage to occur.

The face mask shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 incorporates ademand valve regulator which is designated generally as 50. The regulator includes an outer apertured wall 52, and it includes an internal flexible diaphragm 56. The diaphragm defines a water chamber 531 with the wall 52. The diaphragm 56 is watertight, and it separates the water chamber from the internal chamber IZof the mask. The mask 10 defines an inlet passageway on one side which may, for example, be in the form of a tubular boss 60. A first portion of the coupling assembly of the invention, namely a tubular member 61 extends into and through the boss 60, and it is clamped and securely held in the boss 60 by means, for example, of one or more clamps, such as the clamp 62.

The assembly contained in the tubular portion 61 will be. described in more detail in conjunction with FIG. 3. The tubular member 61, for example, includes a spring-loaded demand valve 64 (FIG. 3) which is normally biased to a closed condition against a seat 66 by means of a spring 68. The valve assembly, as shown in FIG. 3, is actually contained in a tubular housing 69 which is threaded into the end of the tubular member 63, with the housing 69 being sealed to the tubular member 61 by means of an O-ring 70.

A valve actuator 72 is pivotally mounted in a further tubular housing 74, the latter housing being threaded to the end of the tubular housing 69. The valve actuator 72 extends into engagement with the inner surface of the diaphragm 56. Then, as the diver inhales, the diaphragm 56 moves inwardly, causing the valve actuator 64 to pivot in the housing 7 8. The resulting pivotal movement of the valve actuator causes the valve 64 to move against the bias of the spring 68, and to become unseated from the valve seat 66. Therefore, whenever the diver inhales, the valve actuator 72 actually causes the valve 64 to open, so that air may be supplied to the diver. Then, when the diver exhales, the diaphragm 56 moves outwardly, and away from the actuator 72. This permits the spring 6% again to bias the valve 64 down against its seat (96 so as to close the valve.

As explained in the aforesaid patent, the pressure on either side of the diaphragm 56 is substantially equalized, by the air in the chamber Q and by the water in the chamber 5 8. As also explained in the patent, the diaphragm 56 may additionally serve as a transducer, so as to permit communication between divers. That is, each diver may speak and set up vibrationsin the diaphragm 56 which, in turn, sets up vibrations acoustically in the water which may be communicated to adjacent divers.

The mask also defines a second exhaust boss 76 located on the opposite side of the masE-z from the inlet boss 160. A snorkle, or other means, may be clamped to the exhaust boss 76 by means of an exhaust hose 78. The hose 78 may be coupled to the boss 76 through an appropriate fitting 80. This fitting may be equipped with a usual exhaust valve 82.

As shown in FIG. 3, the outer end of the tubular member 61 is equipped with a plug 100 which is intended to be received in the end of a second part of the coupler assembly, such as shown in FIG. 4, and which is designated 102. The plug has a peripherai shoulder 100a adjacent its end, as shown. The other part of the coupler assembly is attached, for example, to the air hose from the tank worn by the diver, or to a surface air hose, and it permits one or the other of the air hoses to be detachably secured to the part of the coupler shown in FIG. 3, the latter part being permanently mounted in the boss 60 of the face mask, as described above.

The part 102 may be coupled to the end of an air hose 104 bymeans of any appropriate coupling, including, for example, a nut 106 which is attached to the end of the air hose, and which may be threaded onto a threaded tubular portion 108 of the part 102. The part 102 includes-a tubular housing 110. The housing 110 has a peripheral shoulder 112 at its end, and a sleeve 114 is mounted on the tubular housing 110 and is normally biased against the shoulder 112 by means of a spring 116. A plurality of balls 118 are mounted in holes in the tubular housing 110, and when the sleeve 114 is in its normal position, as shown in FIG. 4, these balls are held firmly by the sleeve 114, and displaced radially inwardly with respect to the tubular housing. However, the sleeve has a tapered end, so that when it is moved manually back along the tubular housing 110, the balls are reieased.

When the sleeve is so moved back along the tubular housing, the plug 100 may be piugged into the end of the tubular housing 110. Then, the sleeve 114 may be released so that its spring bias causes it to move forward on the tubular housing and force the balis down on the plug and against the inner side of the shoulder 100a so as to retain the two parts of the coupling together. The diameter of the holes in the tubular housing is such that the balls are prevented from passing entirely therethrough into the interior of the housing, and the sleeve 114 extends over the balls at all times so that they are trapped in the wall of the housing. A spring-loaded valve 120 is mounted in the tubular housing 110, and is normally biased closed against a seat 122 by a spring 124. However, when the plug 100 is inserted and retained in the housing 110 it bears against the valve 120 and holds it in an open condition.

Therefore, the air hose 104 may be readily decoupled from the regulator, merely by sliding the sleeve 114 of the part 102 back on the tubular housing 110 and decoupling the part 102 from the plug 100. The valve l20immediately closes in the air hose when the part 102 is decoupled. Also, by exhaling the diver may ciose the valve 64 in the tubular portion 61 untii a new air hose having a similar part 102 is coupled into the regulator plug 100.

Another type of second stage regulator 52A is shown in FIG. 5. This latter regulator be any known prior art type, to which the air hose 104 is coupled in accordance with usual prior art practice by threading its nut 106 to a threaded tubular boss 74A. The improved coupling assembly, modified as shown in FIG. 6, may be interposed directly into the prior art assembiy of FlG. 5. I

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the tubular portion 61A. of the plug A is foreshortened as compared with P16. 3, and terminates in an integral nut which may be threaded onto the boss 74A of FIG. 5. The part 102 may be identical to the embodiment of HG. 4, and the air hose nut 106, as before, may be threaded onto the threaded tubular portion 108.

I claim:

1. A coupling assembly for coupling an air hose to a face mask of underwater diving equipment, said coupling assembly including: a first tubular housing coupled to said air hose and having an open end; a normal'ly closed spring loaded valve mounted in said tubular housin a second tubular housing mounted on said face mmk an having a plug-shaped en received in said open end of said first tubular housing and engaging said spring-loaded valve therein to hold said valve in an open condition; a spring-loaded demand valve mounted in said second tubular housing, said demand vaive including means for normally biasing said demand valve to a closed condition, and further including an actuator for said demand valve; and means mounted on said first tubular housing for releasabiy retaining said second tubular housing in coupled relationship therewith with said plug-shaped end of said second tubular housing received in said open end of said first tubular housing.

2. The coupling assembly defined in claim 1 in which said retaining means includes a spring-loaded sleeve slidabie on the external surface of said first tubular housing, and retaining bails mounted in holes in said first tubular housing to be forced radially inwardly when said sleeve is released, said plug-shaped end of said second tubular housing having a shoulder thereon which is engaged by said balls when sleeve is released so as to retain said plug-shaped end of said second tubular member releasably in said open end of said first tubular housing. 

1. A coupling assembly for coupling an air hose to a face mask of underwater diving equipment, said coupling assembly including: a first tubular housing coupled to said air hose and having an open end; a normally closed spring loaded valve mounted in said tubular housing; a second tubular housing mounted on said face mask and having a plug-shaped end received in said open end of said first tubular housing and engaging said spring-loaded valve therein to hold said valve in an open condition; a spring-loaded demand valve mounted in said second tubular housing, said demand valve including means for normally biasing said demand valve to a closed condition, and further including an actuator for said demand valve; and means mounted on said first tubular housing for releasably retaining said second tubular housing in coupled relationship therewith with said plug-shaped end of said second tubular housing received in said open end of said first tubular housing.
 2. The coupling assembly defined in claim 1 in which said retaining means includes a spring-loaded sleeve slidable on the external surface of said first tubular housing, and retaining balls mounted in holes in said first tubular housing to be forced radially inwardly when said sleeve is released, said plug-shaped end of said second tubular housing having a shoulder thereon which is engaged by said balls when said sleeve is released so as to retain said plug-shaped end of said second tubular member releasably in said open end of said first tubular housing. 